Defence`s Feeds

Russia's resurgence around the world and the role of its navy therein is well documented. Yet while other regions feature more prominently in assessments of Russian activity, the Arctic is arguably the most important region for Russia itself. Dr Lee Willett discusses naval developments there At the

AT LEAST 21 people were killed and 35 others were wounded when a suicide bomber detonated their explosives at a checkpoint to the entrance of the predominantly Shia Muslim district of Kadhimiyya in Iraq's capital Baghdad on 24 July, Al-Jazeera reported. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for

F-15s: Note Kill Stickers
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F-15s and F-16s make up the backbone of Israel’s potent fighter force. The IDF’s main fighter is the F-16 Fighting Falcon, including aging F-16 A/B Netz (“Falcon”), plus F-16C Barak (“Lightning”) and 2-seat F-16D Brakeets (“Thunderbolt”), and now the heavily customized two-seat F-16I Block 52+ Soufa (“Storm”). The Israelis fly the largest contingent of F-16s outside the United States, alongside longer range, higher performance F-15s. F-15A-D Baz (“Eagle”) models have greatly distinguished themselves in IDF service, and the customized two-seat F-15I Ra’ahm (“Thunder”) Strike Eagle is optimized for advanced ground attack and long range interception. All of these aircraft are heavily modified from the US versions, with Israeli avionics, self-protection systems, weapons, and sometimes radars as well.

While Israel’s F-16A/B Netz inventory may well be sold on the international market, their F-16 C/D and F-15 A-D planes were expected to serve the Air Force Corps until at least 2020. Unfortunately, Israel’s new F-35As won’t even start arriving until 2016 or 2017. To keep their edge, Israel began spending money in 2006 to improve and upgrade its legacy fighter fleet…

Cheyl Ha’Avir: Upgrading the Fleet F-16C Barak, Sardinia
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Announced improvement for the “Barak 2020” F-16 C/Ds will include an command and control upgrades to match the systems in the newer F-16I Soufas, replacement of the screens in the cockpit with more advanced color displays and head up displays, and other undisclosed upgrades. A follow-on program is expected to add improved flight control systems, high resolution displays, and Elbit’s DASH helmet-mounted display.

Announced improvement of the F-15 A-D Eagles will include a “replacement of electronic war systems” and an “improvement in the ability to carry advanced bombs” via integration of new weapons. Israeli F-15s had already been modified to carry smart bombs, unlike their American counterparts, but new weapons require new efforts. While the release wasn’t specific, JDAM compatibility is likely to be a priority for Israeli planes. Tamir Eshel of Defense Update writes us to add that integration of RAFAEL’s “Spice”, a kit similar to JDAM but improved via a combination of electro-optical and GPS guidance, will also be included.

DASH Gen-III display
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This is actually the second modernization wave for the F-15 A-Ds, following close on the heels of the 1995-2001 Baz Meshopar (“Improved Eagle”) program. Israeli-Weapons.com notes that the Baz Meshopar package resembles the US Air Force (USAF) F-15 Multi-Stage Improvement Program, although it was implemented with a significant element of Israeli-built electronics and avionics integrated around the MIL-STD 1553 and MIL-STD 1760 data buses. The latter are required in order to add compatibility with GPS-guided weapons, and key elements of the F-15I Ra’am Strike Eagle variant include a modernized cockpit with Elbit multifunction displays, Elbit’s DASH (Display And Sight Helmet), a GPS-INS navigation system, AIM-120 AMRAAM and Python 4 missile capability, plus software upgrades delivered via the USAF’s Warner Robins Air Logistics Center avionics management directorate software division. The upgraded aircraft are known as Baz Meshopar (Improved Eagle) but are also referred to as the F-15 AUP (Avionics Upgrade Program).

Meanwhile, back in North America, US budget crunches and procurement cutbacks around the F-22 and F-35 JSF programs will intensify the need to keep its TacAir fleet up to acceptable strength via supplemental measures. As such, Israel’s upgrades could hold future interest as a template for upgrades that would turn the USA’s F-15C dedicated air superiority fighters into modernized multi-role aircraft at a reasonable cost.

Contracts & Key Events Israeli F-15s

July 26/16: Rafael’s SPICE 1000 EO/GPS-guided munitions are to be adopted by the Israeli Air Force as the weapon enters into its final development stage. Integration will take place on all fighter squadrons with F-16C/D “Barak” aircraft first in line. Features of Spice include being camera operated with real time maneuver and response abilities when facing fixed and mobile targets.

September 4/15: Israel announced that it is upgrading its F-16 variants to be able to handle the vaunted Russian S-300 anti-aircraft system. Iran is perennially about to receive shipments of the system.

March 6/13: F-15s. Israel Defense:

“In several months, the project for upgrading all Israeli F-15I “Ra’am”, considered to be the IAF’s strategic fighter aircraft, is meant to come to a conclusion. Lt. Col. Tzahi Alia, head of the systems and armaments field in the maintenance squadron at the Israeli Hatzerim airbase….”

Dec 26/11: The Jerusalem Post reports that Israel is looking for ways to bolster its fleet before the F-35s arrive. Phased elections in Egypt, which are beginning to hand significant power to Taliban-style Salafists and the Muslim Brotherhood, are creating a new strategic situation. Meanwhile, the possibility of slowdowns to the F-35 program or further cost increases leaves their affordability and timeliness in question.

Beyond upgrades to existing platforms, the Israelis are reportedly considering scenarios in which used planes might be available for a bargain price, as American budget cuts lead to retirement of serving F-15s and F-16s. The question after that would be whether to operate them as-is, or upgrade them to a common Israeli configuration.

Dec 12/11: Delays to the F-35 program appear to be pushing Israel toward further F-16C/D upgrades, and may even trigger new aircraft buys if the multi-national program’s delivery dates slip beyond 2017.

The Jerusalem Post reports that the IAF has now decided to extend their F-16C/D “Barak” (Lightning; oddly, also the American name for the F-35) to add flight-control system upgrades, high-resolution displays, and Elbit’s DASH helmet-mounted displays. Of the 3 upgrades mentioned, the DASH will make the biggest difference to the fighters’ long-term effectiveness. Helmet-mounted displays are quickly becoming standard equipment in modern fighters, because they allow the pilot to take full advantage of new datalinked, wide-angle seeker aerial and ground weapons.

Feb 19/11: F-15s. Flight International reports that Israel’s F-15 Eagle upgrades are expanding to add its oldest F-15 A/B aircraft. Reports vary, with estimated totals of in-service F-15 A/Bs ranging between 26-45. One prototype has already been completed.

The upgrade will give all of Israel’s F-15s some level of long-range strike capability, and reportedly includes fuselage strengthening (which may be informed by the USAF’s recent fleet grounding), MIL-STD-1760, and unelaborated “improvements to the aircraft’s radar,” among others.

Israel’s F-15A/Bs carry the APG-63 mechanically scanned radar, which was introduced in the 1970s. Its first set of 25 F-15A/Bs were reportedly early production USAF airframes, and would definitely have been delivered without the APG-63’s key 1979 upgrade: a software programmable signal processor. Note that the AN/APG-63v1 is actually a major redesign introduced in the early 1990s, which currently serves on a number of USAF aircraft, and on South Korea’s F-15K Slam Eagles. The v1 does not have an AESA front end like its v2 and v3 counterparts, but is compatible with adding one later. Switching APG-63s for their APG-63v1 counterpart, or for an Israeli radar like the EL-M/2032, would be a big change.

Feb 16/11: Retired IAF Brig-Gen. Assaf Agmon of the Fisher Institute for Air and Space Strategic Studies, says Israel is likely to re-assess the importance of its air force, in the wake of Egypt’s unrest and uncertainty surrounding the future of their peace treaty with Egypt. He sees the reassessment as broader than just the air force, but that has been Israel’s traditional bulwark against conventional threats. Agmon is suggesting additional buys of F-35A medium stealth fighters, but delivery timing and program issues could also push the IAF to focus on quickly-delivered fleet upgrades instead. Flight International.

Jan 24/11: F-16s. After the first “F-16 Barak 2020” prototypes pass initial inspections, a ceremony takes place at the IAF’s Hatzor AB. It marks the decision to start upgrading all Barak (F-16C/D) planes to Barak 2020 configuration, giving them avionics commonality with the Sufa (F-16I) fleet. Sources: IAF, “Barak 2020″ Takes Off”.

F-15 Baz Meshopar
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Nov 30/10: F-16s. Flight International reports that the Israeli air force has upgraded its first F-16C/D to the “Barak 2020” configuration. Modifications are being performed at the squadron level, under the supervision of the air force’s central maintenance depot (technical unit number 22).

May 12/09: F-16s. Flightglobal reports that the Israeli air force plans to upgrade its F-16C/D aircraft to the ‘Barak 2020’ upgrade package so this portion of fleet can serve till 2020. Sources: F-16.net, “IDFAF launches F-16C/D upgrade program”.

April 20/06: USAF F-15s. David Axe of DefenseTech notes that the USAF is preparing its own modernization roadmap for its single-seat F-15C Eagle air superiority fighters, and that conversion to multi-role status is part of that roadmap. Up to 200 F-15Cs may eventually be involved, and a new AN/APG-63v3 AESA radar is the 1st step. Defense Tech, “Eagles Forever”.

Jan 25/06: The F-16C/D Barak and F-15A-I upgrade programs are announced, with few details. The IDF news release did not mention what the further-upgraded F-15s would be called. Perhaps “Baz Meshopar Me’oht” (Very Improved Eagle)? IDF | DefenseTalk copy.

Upgrades announced

Oct 1/03: F-16 ACE. IAI is still trying to convince Israel to upgrade its F-16A/B “Netz” fighters with their F-16 ACE package. ACE would swap the old APG-66 radar for IAI Elta’s ELM-2032, replace the core avionics and mission computer, and add features like a wide-angle HUD, LCD displays, GPS navigation with moving maps, electronic warfare upgrades, LITENING targeting pod capability, etc.

“There has been concern in Israeli industry that without the home air force ordering the ACE package, it will be difficult to market the upgrade to overseas air forces. IAI heads a consortium of ACE participant companies, which includes Astronautics, Elop and Elta. The upgrade is based around an open architecture mission system to allow carriage of a wide variety of weapon systems and sensors without hardware changes.”

Sources: IAI, “Military Aircraft Upgrades: F-16” (ACE) | F-16.NET, “IAI bids to upgrade Israeli F-16s”.

Additional Readings

• DID – Israeli Plans to Buy F-35s Moving Forward

Americas

• The Pentagon’s chief weapons tester Michael Gilmore has blasted the Army’s Mid-Tier Networking Vehicular Radio (MNVR) just as the service prepares to make a production decision for the system. Gilmore described the MNVR, saying the radio “did not meet commanders’ operational needs for a mid-tier network solution.” and “provided no value added in mitigating the significant impacts to communications and mission execution experienced in a satellite communications (SATCOM)-denied environment.” Only time will tell if the report affects the Army’s production decision.

• Lockheed Martin projects slow but steady growth in the international sale of its missile- and air-defense systems. Products such as the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS) and Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC-3) interceptor have all been garnering interest from European and Middle East governments and the company expects to win various competitions over the next few years. Missile and fire control division is responsible for about 50 percent of their international purchases.

Middle East North Africa

• The Algerian Navy has commissioned their third C28A-class corvette after delivery from China. Featuring a displacement of 3,000 metric tons, the 360-foot-long stealth-guided missile ship can conduct offshore defense operations and long-distance combat missions. The three vessels, ordered in 2011, come as part of a wider naval modernization by Algeria which includes orders for two Meko A-200AN frigates, and two Project 636 Varshavyanka (Kilo class) diesel electric submarines from Russia, which are due in 2018.

• Rafael’s SPICE 1000 EO/GPS-guided munitions are to be adopted by the Israeli Air Force as the weapon enters into its final development stage. Integration will take place on all fighter squadrons with F-16C/D “Barak” aircraft first in line. Features of Spice include being camera operated with real time maneuver and response abilities when facing fixed and mobile targets.

Europe

• Thales Deutschland has been contracted to upgrade German Army training simulators. The work, due for completion in 2017, includes all small arms/handheld anti-tank weapons shooting simulator training devices in use with the German army. A total of 185 AGSHP shooting simulators are covered under the $5.5 million contract.

Asia Pacific

• A series of human errors has been blamed for the torpedoing of a fishing vessel by the Taiwanese Navy. A draft report of the investigation seen by media sources found that the patrol vessel was loaded with live missiles, and to enable drills to be carried out, a simulator box was supposed to be installed between the missile control and launch tube. Only two of the four missiles, however, were installed with the simulators. Petty Officer 2nd Class Kao Chia-chun, unsupervised, had selected salvo fire of two missiles and one of those missiles was not connected to a simulator. As a result, the missile fired when activated.

• Policemen and soldiers in the Afghan Army are said to be cashing in spent ammunition to scrap dealers amid corruption, poor pay and conditions experienced. With average pay at around $200 per month, a kilo of scrap can be sold for $2.55 with soldiers happy to spend 5-10 minutes firing until merchants have what they need. Other reports found troops in Helmand and Kunduz provinces firing 7,000 artillery shells in May alone. Commenting on the issue, an Afghan official said “We asked army commanders about it and said if each shell killed only one person, we should have 3,500 Taliban dead in each province….It’s very clear they fire aimlessly and collect the shell casings for copper and sell them.” $300 million worth of ammunition was given by the US to Afghan security forces last year.

• The world’s largest amphibious aircraft has rolled off the production line in China. Developed by state aircraft maker Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), the AG600 is about the same size as a Boeing 737, and plans are to use it to perform marine rescue missions and fight forest fires. The aircraft has a maximum flight range of 4,500 km and can collect 12 tons of water in 20 seconds.

Today’s Video

• Rafael’s SPICE munitions:

North Korea is reportedly building two new covered docks (pens) that could be used to protect ballistic missile submarines (SSBs).

Sea mines may seem an archaic hangover from a largely forgotten era of naval warfare, but they remain just as real and present a danger for sailors today as they did in earlier times. The deployment of mines has dropped dramatically since the two Wor…

The Canadian Government has launched an open competition for the in-service support contract for the Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN) Arctic offshore patrol ships (AOPS) and joint support ships (JSS).

The US Navy's second Independence-class littoral combat ship USS Coronado (LCS 4) has successfully performed the first live-fire over-the-horizon missile test using a Harpoon Block IC missile.

"On 26 July 2016, Ms Maria-Cristina Stepanescu, a senior police officer from Romania, was appointed Head of the European Union mission on regional maritime capacity building in the Horn of Africa, EUCAP Nestor. She will take up her duties on 1 September 2016. She takes over from Acting Head Simonetta Silvestri.

This civilian CSDP mission forms part of the EU's comprehensive approach to fighting piracy in the Horn of Africa, alongside the EU Naval Force Somalia and the EU training mission for Somalia. EUCAP Nestor works to reinforce the capacity of Somalia to effectively govern its territorial waters in order to help them fight piracy more effectively. This includes advice, mentoring and training for the coast guard, maritime criminal justice system and coastal police.

Since February 2010, Ms Stepanescu has been a Seconded National Expert/Police Expert to the Civilian Conduct and Planning Capability (CPCC)/EEAS. She has previously held positions such as: Head of the Cooperation - Single Point of Contact/Schengen Department (2008-2010); Head of Programme Development and coordination Department (PDCD), European Union Police Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo (2005-2007); Policy Officer with the Institute for Research and Crime Prevention, within the General Inspectorate of Romanian Police, Ministry of Interior (2002-2004); Chief Investigator of Gracanica Police Station/Team Leader of Trafficking in Human Beings and Prostitution Unit, Serious and Organised Crime of Pristina Regiona, UN Mission in Kosovo (2000-2002); Policy officer, General Inspectorate of Romanian Police (1998-2000); Intelligence/CID officer, General Inspectorate of Romanian Police (1994-1998).

She has a Masters degree in Sociology and Social Sciences/Implementation of community Justice from Bucharest University, Romania (2000-2002) and a Law Degree from Alxandra Ioan Cuza Police Academy, Bucharest, Romania (1990-1994). She speaks Romanian, English and French.

The decision was taken by the Political and Security Committee."

(European Council - Press Release)

Tag: EUCAP NestorMaria-Cristina Stepanescu

via Washington Post. "After many years of sub-par growth in industrialized economies, and increasingly also in emerging markets, G-20 leaders are recognizing the risks of social cleavages and their...

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Representatives from 20 EU Member States gathered last week (20/21 July) in Bratislava for a two-day Cyber Security Cooperation Conference co-organized by the current Slovak Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the European Defence Agency (EDA).

The event was centred around three panels in which participants discussed different aspects of cooperation on cyber defence, starting with the political aspects of cooperation, moving onto public-private sector cooperation, and finishing with the challenges for military-to-military cooperation.

In his speech at the conference, EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq stressed the importance of European cooperation in the cyber defence field. The EDA, he said, is involved in this domain since more than four years when it established a platform for Member States to speak with each other about their requirements in cyber defence and cooperation. “And we can proudly say that within that relatively short time, we have significantly influenced the development of the cyber defence domain in Europe”. “Despite the sensitivities surrounding cyber defence, there is enormous scope for cooperation”, Mr Domecq continued, stressing that the EDA was ready to move forward its role in fostering cooperation on cyber security and defence in all dimensions, even beyond the traditional understanding of military to military cooperation. “Admittedly, we are in many cases in ‘uncharted waters’ but that should not prevent us from starting to navigate those waters. Cyber and Hybrid Threats require comprehensive responses”, he said.

Cyber threats are among the main risks and perils of the last decade, stated Ivan Máčovský, State Secretary at the Slovak Ministry of Defence. Therefore, the priorities of the Slovak EU Presidency are also geared towards consolidating the EU's unity and coherence in this field, he stressed. “It was acknowledged over the course of this conference that cooperation among the EU Member States in this field is of crucial importance, be it at the political or civil-military level. It is equally needed between the public and private sectors,” Mr Máčovský said at the conclusion of the event.

 

More information:

• Cyber Defence - EDA project page
• Communication and Information Systems - EDA project page

 

The West’s response to the democratic backsliding occurring in Turkey under Erdogan (which is accelerating post-coup) should be the steadfast support of bottom-up democratisation efforts in Turkey. However, if the West decides that strategic interests in Turkey trump liberal principles, its weakening liberal international order will be hit further and hasten the arrival of a post-Western order.

The post The West, the liberal order and (post-coup) Turkey appeared first on European Geostrategy.

More pics here!

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Thanks to Joe for the link! via The Sun BRITISH soldiers have been told to “scrub” their Facebook and Twitter pages of evidence they serve to avoid being targeted by nutcase jihadists, The Sun on...

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Thanks to Joey Joe-Joe Junior Shabadoo for the news! via Gateway Pundit. Google Translation from the original German report: “The explosion in the Ansbacher downtown was not a gas explosion, but was...

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Americas

• In just six months, Saab has spent almost all of its investment funding for the upcoming USAF T-X trainer program. Partnered with Boeing, little is known about the aircraft’s design except that it is based on a clean sheet design. The team face off against a Lockheed Martin/KAI proposal based on the latter’s T-50, a Raytheon/Leonardo offer of the M-346-derived T-100 and a new platform being developed by Northrop in association with BAE Systems. Formal requirements for the program will be released by the USAF either by year’s end or early 2017.

• Two new close air support aircraft to complement and eventually replace the A-10 are being sought by the USAF. Beechcraft’s AT-6 and Embraer’s A-29 Super Tucano are being looked at for an off the shelf procurement while an initial order of 20 light attack OA-X aircraft could deliver as early as next year. For the OA-X, the service is looking for a medium-altitude aircraft with some level of precision strike capability, such as the BAE Systems Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System laser-guided rocket.

• Boeing has announced the latest in an ongoing saga of cost overruns with the company taking a $393 million hit on the KC-46 tanker program. Well published issues such as the fault with the aircraft’s refueling boom have resulted in delays to the aircraft reaching an important program milestone prior to initial production. The charges are to be formally announced on July 27 and brings the total value of penalties to almost $1.9 billion. Don’t worry Boeing, the next round of drinks are on us.

Middle East North Africa

• Never mind the coup, it’s the F-35! Despite the recent attempt at political overthrow by certain cadres of Turkey’s military, Lockheed Martin is forging ahead with its planned production of the first two F-35As for Turkey. Assembly of the aircraft is expected to commence within the next six to twelve months and delivery scheduled for 2018. But could further political instability in an already volatile region put the deal into doubt, only time will tell.

Africa

• Germany is to lease three Heron 1 UAVs for upcoming operations in Mali. Operated by Airbus, with military missions flown solely by military personnel, the Israeli-built surveillance drones will see operations commence in November and last until February 2018. The deal is worth $100 million.

Europe

• Dassault’s six-month financial review has revealed new defense orders worth $662 million. Of that, almost $500 million has come from the French military’s contract for the Mirage 2000D upgrade with the remainder from international business. The company also announced the delivery of six Rafale fighters and a production backlog of 76 aircraft.

Asia Pacific

• Lockheed Martin and Swiss firm Pilatus have successfully completed the initial production test flight of the first PC-21 aircraft destined for the Australian Defence Force under the AIR 5428 Pilot Training System program. The first of the ordered aircraft is expected to be delivered to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in June 2017 upon the completion of testing. 49 of the turbo-prop trainers were ordered back in September 2015 as part of the RAAF’s new pilot training program.

• Bye-bye Viraat. India’s second aircraft carrier, INS Viraat, left harbor on its last voyage on Saturday under escort from Indian Navy Sea King Helicopters. The “Grand Old Lady” is en route to Kochi for essential repairs and dry docking. Due for decommissioning later this year, Viraat holds the esteemed honor of being the Guinness World record for the oldest serving warship after spending 29 years sailing under the flag of India and 27 years in the British Royal Navy.

Today’s Video

• F-35s at Red Flag for the first time:

The US Navy and Spanish Navy has conducted the first interoperability test of the latest Aegis Weapon System baseline with a foreign ship.

The US Navy's Freedon-class variant USS Detroit littoral combat ship (LCS 7) has successfully completed acceptance trial, prior to future deployment.

US-based technical services company VSE has received a cost-plus award fee delivery order, valued at up to $74m, to support the reactivation of ex-USS Taylor (FFG 50) and ex-USS Gary (FFG 51) for Taiwan Navy.

via CNN Her stewardship of the DNC has been under fire through most of the presidential primary process, but her removal from the convention stage comes following the release of nearly 20,000...

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